Writing for Stress Relief
We should write because it is human nature to write. Writing claims our world. It makes it directly and specifically our own. We should write because humans are spiritual beings and writing is a powerful form of prayer and meditation, connecting us both to our own insights and to a higher and deeper level of inner guidance as well… We should write because writing is good for the soul… We should write, above all, because we are writers whether we call ourselves writers or not. ''Tartakovsky, M. (2018). The power of writing: 3 Types of therapeutic writing. Retrieved from https://psychcentral.com/blog/the-power-of-writing-3-types-of-therapeutic-writing/ There are a number of ways one can reduce stress. A popular stress-reliever that has been proven is writing. Psychologists and therapists alike have seen the benefits of writing as an outlet or to express oneself in a new way. "For years, practitioners have used logs, questionnaires, journals and other writing forms to help people heal from stresses and traumas. Now, new research suggests expressive writing may also offer physical benefits to people battling terminal or life-threatening diseases."Murray, B. (2002, June). Writing to heal. American Psychological Association, 33(6), . Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/monitor/jun02/writing They just keep finding other ways to utilize it. The beauty of it is that one does not need to be a writer in order to reap the benefits. All there is to do is sit down and begin putting pen to paper--or fingers to keyboard. '''Mind Mapping: We'll start with the simplest: mind mapping. This is a simple process. Simply draw a map with your main problem in the middle of it. Then create "branches" that act as the different aspects of your problem, and create more branches with your thoughts and feelings. Perhaps you can even explore solutions. This exercise is really meant to help you organize your thoughts and better understand the problem. It's simple, relatively quick, and can be very helpful. Give it a shot. Freewriting/Journaling: One method of writing for stress relief is journaling. Journaling and writing in diaries have been around ages, as many people have seen the advantages. Journaling, in particular, is very therapeutic. Marriage and family therapist Elizabeth Sullivan describes writing as "speaking to another consciousness — ‘the reader’ or another part of the self. We come to know who we really are in the present moment ... When you use your hands to pen or type something directly from your brain, you are creating a powerful connection between your inner experience and your body’s movement out in the world;” and don't shy away from thoughts that disturb or scare you because we should "acknowledge and accept our thoughts and feelings; paradoxically, this often makes them shift into something new." Journalers are encouraged to write down whatever they feel, however they feel it, in whatever order--however the journaler wants. The beauty of it is that it is totally uncensored. You can censor yourself, but part of the stress relief is that sense of freedom; the idea that we and only we are in control of something. That's what it comes down to sometimes: control. We just need to feel like we have control over something in our lives, and when we journal without limitations (except those we choose to impose on ourselves), we are ''in control. Just write what's on your mind--anything from "gosh, I sure love Brandon! He is so sweet and caring and he treats me like a queen!" to "I am so incredibly bored right now. There's nothing ever to do. Life is so boring. And even though Shauna is my best friend, she really doesn't bring a lot of excitement into my life" to"I hate my boss! He is such a pompous, condescending, incompetent jerk. Who does he think he is? I could do his job so much better!" '''ANYTHING YOU WANT! Write a Letter: The technique of writing a letter as therapy has been personally invaluable. It's as easy as it sounds. If stress relief is the goal, then write a letter to the person who is causing you the most stress. Tell them exactly how you feel, or just tell them off. Really let them have it, don't hold back. The key here is not to send the letter. You absolutely can! Sometimes just writing down the feelings isn't enough--you need that person to know, ''so you can send it. But just be prepared for any additional stress it may cause if that person reacts unfavorably! But just getting those thoughts down on paper and imagining that you ''are ''telling them all of these feelings is good too. Of course, sometimes we just need to verbalize our feelings. Sometimes writing a letter to a loved one can be a therapeutic experience if only because you are taking note of the things that you admire about them or things that make you happy. You're thinking happy thoughts. Sometimes just sitting back and reflecting on the positives in your life can be a stress reliever on its own. '''Poetry:' Another great method is writing poetry. This is a personal favorite but is understandably intimidating for some. The problem is that people think poetry needs to follow a specific format or rhyme scheme. There are people who need some type of structure, but poetry can be anything from limericks to haikus to freeverse--which is one of the most popular for therapeautic writing. It's basically journaling but with a different structure--and the structure is your choice. Here is an example of a Charles Bukowski poem--a famous poet and author who wrote about all parts of life, even the mundane. His subjects range from going to the racetrack to alcoholism, to loneliness and to writing itself Image of Charles Bukowski poem. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://i.pinimg.com/564x/e2/17/1c/e2171c44e99695c0e6435d54463c846a.jpg: It doesn't need some complex structure, it doesn't even need to be profound. It just needs to be a culmination of your thoughts and feelings, whatever you need to say in order to relieve some of that stress. Besides, in the end, it's just nice to have created something so personal that, even if it is not a Shakespearian sonnet, is still beautiful. There are a number of other writing methods that one can use. Choose the one that best suits your needs because what is most important is that we get rid of some of that stress that affects so much of our lives. If you're thinking about writing for stress relief but don't know how to get started, here are some tips: ''- Write down everything, big or small, that you've achieved in your life.'' ''- Imagine your favorite fictional character is facing the same dilemma, and write how they'd deal with it.'' ''- Write an imaginary letter to someone who has changed your life'' ''- Try a word association exercise around the word 'stress' Rooney, E. (2017). Writing about your feelings can help reduce stress and anxiety, studies say. Retrieved from https://www.womenshealth.com.au/writing-stress-anxiety'' For additional information on how writing is therapeutic and tips on how to reap the most benefits, visit: https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/writing-therapy/ https://www.apa.org/monitor/jun02/writing https://aimhappy.com/journaling-prompts-stress-relief/